# Ref blocks player on purpose **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 20, 2008, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799 "2008-10-20T21:39:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/21 "2008-10-21T15:17:06Z")
> [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > Fear can be a wonderful incentive, eh? 😃 Fear?:dubious: Hell, no! I’m looking for somebody to hit! 🆒 I used to be an average runner when I lead with my shoulder. Now I aim for the belly with the top of my head. It does two things: puts my center of gravity lower than theirs, and gives them the hardest part of my body. Probably slightly dangerous for me, but my neck is big enough that I can’t buy dress shirts at regular stores, so it’s never been a problem. I usually slip to one side or the other after the hit, and then catch a shoulder, though. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/22 "2008-10-21T15:20:22Z")
> [@Santo\_Rugger](#): > > These days, I’ve got the antithesis of what would consider a “fast” frame (front row forward), but you should see me run when I get the ball. Whoah, boy! > > Also, Garcia is generally not the first surname that comes to mind when I think of a white guy. Looks pretty white to me: [http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/05T26aX6Dd1TK/340x.jpg](http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/05T26aX6Dd1TK/340x.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/23 "2008-10-21T15:47:08Z")
A college football player in court, how surprising! FWIW, I generally get that label, too. We share last names, and I don’t generally consider myself white, though. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/24 "2008-10-21T15:52:28Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > All of which misses the point that the official’s response should have been to side step the player, not take a step INTO him. > > It’s the step INTO the player that is the key to seeing that this wasn’t just a normal player v. umpire crash. Umpires get run into a lot; it’s one of the more common hazards of that particular position of football officialdom. But they don’t usually get run into while staring directly at the player who is doing the running (he’s not supposed to be watching the ball carrier in the first place, he’s supposed to be looking for various common fouls in his area, like holding by the linemen, etc.), and they damn certain don’t get run into while taking a step forward into the player and giving them a forearm shiver. If you watch the video carefully, I think it’s clear that, once the QB cleared the tackle box, the referee had no good options. If he stands still or goes to his left, he will collide with the defenders chasing the ball carrier from the back side. If he backpedals, he will collide with the Defensive Back coming in from the end zone. If he moves to his right, he will be running parallel to the QB and will block his path upfield. So, it seems to me, he decided to move forward on the assumption that in a split second the space in front of him will be vacated be the laterally-moving ball-carrier. The ball-carrier turned upfield at virtually the same instant, however, and a collision was imminent. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/25 "2008-10-21T16:20:14Z")
The referee was watching that player from near the start of the play. From my watching it looks as though he is seeking him out, not avoiding other players. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/26 "2008-10-21T16:53:05Z")
> [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](#): > > The referee was watching that player from near the start of the play. From my watching it looks as though he is seeking him out, not avoiding other players. By “that player” you mean the quarterback, that’s what the Umpire _does_. From Wiki: > [@](#): > > The umpire (U) stands behind the defensive line and linebackers, observing the blocks by the offensive line and defenders trying to ward off those blocks — looking for holding or illegal blocks. Prior to the snap, he counts all offensive players. > \*\* > During passing plays, he moves forward towards the line of scrimmage as the play develops in order to\*\* (1) penalize any offensive linemen who move illegally downfield before the pass is thrown or (2) **penalize the quarterback for throwing the ball when beyond the original line of scrimmage.** He also assists on ruling incomplete passes when the ball is thrown short. > > As the umpire is situated where much of the play’s initial action occurs, he is considered by many to hold the most dangerous officiating position. > > In addition to his on field duties, the umpire is responsible for the legality of all of the players’ equipment. How is he going to throw a flag at the QB if he’s not, you know, looking at the QB? ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/27 "2008-10-21T17:37:15Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > But either he’s incompetent or dishonest - there ain’t no other option. One mistake doth not incompetence make, forsooth! ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/28 "2008-10-21T18:28:48Z")
It does if it’s bad enough. And that one was a very, very bad mistake. On another level, isn’t a tad odd just how close the ref as there? Maybe I just tune them out, but I was surprised to see him that close to the action. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/29 "2008-10-21T18:42:39Z")
I watched the game in real-time, and it didn’t look shady till the incessent replays. I laughed my ass off when it happened! That was classic! Dude was just trying to not get his clock cleaned. Ain’t his fault he outweighs the QB by a few stone. ---
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/30 "2008-10-21T18:57:17Z")
I think this happened the same way that two people sometimes have a head-on collision on a sidewalk while looking straight at each other. Each one tries to dodge the other, but they dodge the same way at the same time. The ref was trying to move _toward_ the spot where he expected the quarterback _not_ to be. The raising of the shoulder happened after he started moving, and was probably a defensive reflex. Is this a bad enough mistake to mark him as a hopeless klutz? I don’t know. But it was definitely his fault, and it affected the game. Do the rules of football have a way to deal with accidental interference by the referees? ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/31 "2008-10-21T19:10:29Z")
I’m ashamed to say that I laughed at that. Hard. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/32 "2008-10-21T19:38:09Z")
It’s pretty clearly a deliberate block – he moves to intercept the QB, concentrating solely on him and none of the other defenders, he moves into the runner instead of avoiding him, and actually changes his stance just like a linebacker does. Which the ref played in college. I think he got caught up in the play and his reaction as a college linebacker took over for a moment. However, it probably didn’t affect the play that much – the other team was right there. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/33 "2008-10-21T21:38:47Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > … actually changes his stance just like a linebacker does… No, he doesn’t. Any linebacker worth his salt wouldn’t hit nearly that high. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799/34 "2008-10-21T23:56:15Z")
> [@Santo\_Rugger](#): > > By “that player” you mean the quarterback, that’s what the Umpire _does_. From Wiki: > How is he going to throw a flag at the QB if he’s not, you know, looking at the QB? Wiki is incorrect. The umpire would most certainly never flag for an illegal downfield pass, since the umpire has no idea where the line of scrimmage is. That’s the job of the Head Linesman or the Line Judge, who remain near the original line of scrimmage during the development of the play and are in position to watch for the position of the quarterback relative to the line of scrimmage when he releases a pass. The umpire in the play in question can be seen focusing on the quarterback at a time when the linemen are still engaged in the very important struggle to keep the defense from getting to the quarterback. The umpire should have been watching that. Instead, he focuses on the quarterback exclusive of all else, positions himself to stay close to where the quarterback is running, and steps straight into him without even looking around to see where there might be other players. It was at best poor officiating. It was at worst a direct attempt to interfere with the quarterback. Of course, South Carolina scored a touchdown two plays later, or I assure you there would have been much more made of it by Coach Spurrier. 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ref-blocks-player-on-purpose/468799.md?page=1)